Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families

Public Affairs Archive

Our Office established this page to provide a dedicated space for the individuals and families we serve to find archived content of our Public Affairs page.

On April 24, 2024, the Federal Register published the Department of Justice’s final rule updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This final rule has specific requirements about how to ensure that web content is accessible to people with disabilities, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Due to this rule as well as the recent change in this Office’s leadership we have created this Public Affairs Archive page.

Our Public Affairs content moving forward can be found on our Public Affairs page.

Ombudsman Office in the News

Date	Title
1/23/2026	NJ school bus safety push left out critical reforms, mom says
1/5/2026	Are they making too much?
12/15/2025	NJ system to investigate group homes would be overhauled under bill
11/17/2025	Rep. Tom Kean pushes for national disability ombudsman, modeled after NJ watchdog
11/11/2025	NJ man with disability hit with $3,390 ambulance bill Horizon refused to cover
11/6/2025	In NJ, managed care means delays and denials for disabled patients: 'Not a fair fight'
10/14/2025	Over a year after their daughter's sudden group home death, a NJ couple still want answers
8/9/2025	A Fundamental Job Of Government
7/10/2025	Will next governor fix group home crisis?
7/8/2025	NJ's disability watchdog warns that next governor will inherit group home system in crisis
7/2/2025	NJ advocates want stronger state oversight, better investigations of group homes
6/30/2025	NJ bill would require cameras on school buses to protect students with disabilities
6/3/2025	Abuse, neglect and death in New Jersey group homes show a crisis we must fix
5/22/2025	Finding a fix: How could NJ group home reform bills impact the industry?
5/17/2025	Despite NJ group home care lapses, state often fails to act, lets companies grow
5/10/2025	Wrong doses. Missed doses. Medication errors in group homes pose grave risks
5/3/2025	NJ group home residents face neglect, abuse and despair in a flawed system
3/24/2025	School bus safety bill focused on special education students clears NJ Senate
3/17/2025	Grieving NJ mom pushes for school bus reforms
2/26/2025	NJ school bus reforms haven't protected kids with disabilities. Mom asks ‘How many more?’
10/14/2024	Guardianships for those with disabilities draws debate
10/2/2024	Severe autism, frantic families
10/2/2024	NJ wants new penalties to fight abuse in group homes for people with disabilities
10/1/2024	N.J. announces major overhaul to stop abuse in group homes
9/25/2024	Housing crisis for some adults with disabilities
9/18/2024	Fed-up families say N.J. ignores abuse in group homes. But that may change soon
8/12/2024	NJ watchdog says residents with disabilities face ongoing abuse and neglect
7/23/2024	Urgent call for reform: NJ disability ombudsman highlights abuse in state-run homes
6/20/2024	Emergency housing for NJ kids with disabilities is so scarce 'families often just give up'
4/25/2024	Why it's harder to care for a disabled child in NJ: State funding is 'broken,' parents say
3/10/2024	Disability programs face 'severe' labor shortages in NJ, nation. Here's how to fix it
2/16/2024	Demand better oversight of homes for the disabled
2/8/2024	N.J. leaders vow to toughen group home oversight after NJ.com report
2/2/2024	Alone, autistic and afraid
10/10/2023	Statewide disabilities champion from Ridgewood honored for advocacy work
8/21/2023	Thousands of NJ families frustrated by long wait for disability services
7/10/2023	Gov. Phil Murphy names July Disability Pride Month in New Jersey
6/5/2023	NJ Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families releases 2022 annual report
4/7/2023	FACT Conference Offers Greater ASD Programming Opportunities
3/27/2023	Private School for Autistic Children Expands to Franklin Lakes
2/16/2023	Couples with disabilities risk benefits with marriage
2/13/2023	NJ couples with disabilities rally at Montclair State to protest the 'marriage penalty'
10/31/2022	Inroads To Opportunities (OCUC) Hosted Casino Night and Award Presentation Ceremony in Celebration of National Disabilities Employment Month
9/20/2022	Disability community wants more from Trenton, commemorates COVID deaths
8/16/2022	75 years ago, these NJ parents ignited a national movement for kids with disabilities
8/1/2022	Ombudsman Report Cites Continued Abuse in Group Homes
6/7/2022	Plan NJ Holds 2022 Celebration of Abilities
5/27/2022	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn’s 2021 Annual Report highlights abuse and neglect in group homes
5/24/2022	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn’s 2021 Annual Report Urges N.J. to expand care for residents with developmental or intellectual disabilities
5/24/2022	Abuse of disabled people in N.J. group homes persists as accountability lags: Issues discussed in Ombudsman's 2021 report
4/29/2022	Push for pay increase: Shortage of aides hurts quality of life for disabled NJ residents
1/24/2022	Disability advocates warn Murphy vaccine mandate will aggravate labor shortages
3/11/2022	President Biden Announces Key Appointments to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
6/8/2021	Shopping Cart Theory and Practice
5/25/2021	How accessible are NJ COVID vaccine sites for people with disabilities? Here's what we found
3/21/2021	This school for students with autism stayed open during pandemic and had no COVID cases
2/8/2021	Pull Over Properly: Community initiative teaches new drivers with special needs what to do at a traffic stop
1/25/2021	NJ residents with disabilities begin to get COVID-19 shots
11/25/2020	Advocates for disabled offer fix for poor pandemic response
10/18/2020	Advocacy Groups Speak at League of Women Voters "RBG’s Legacy Rally" in Plainfield
7/20/2020	Face masks present a new challenge for people who read lips
1/30/2020	How Autism Health Care In Jersey Falls Short
11/18/2019	People with disabilities are being included in emergency drills — and exposing big flaws
3/13/2019	NJ official says state disabilities system in 'considerable disrepair'
7/8/2018	NJ Ombudsman for disabled understands family struggles; former mayor is first to hold state post
4/19/2018	Governor Murphy Announces Paul Aronsohn to Lead the Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families

Op-Eds from the Office of the Ombudsman

Date	Title
1/9/2026	True Neighbor: Reflections from inside Paul Aronsohn's Ombudsman Office
1/9/2026	How Mikie Sherrill can deliver for NJ's disability community
5/30/2025	NJ must find the will to stop abuse and neglect in our I/DD group homes
1/3/2025	Candidates for NJ governor, please make people with disabilities a priority
10/2/2024	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn examines why words matter. We should stop using 'rehabilitation' when discussing disabilities
6/14/2024	Keep Seeing – Reflections of a Grandfather’s Love and Transformation in the Wake of Disability
6/11/2024	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn contemplates the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s “Olmstead” decision
11/20/2022	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn acknowledges that it's not always easy to feel thankful at the holidays
9/29/2022	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn expresses his thoughts on Joe Biden
7/12/2022	Ombudsman Paul Aronsohn celebrates brother, Robert Zuckerman’s life
6/15/2021	Our leaders must raise the voices of Americans with disabilities
8/25/2020	Candidates, Make Disability Rights a Priority
11/24/2019	Giving Thanks
10/31/2018	3 Things Everyone in N.J. Should Know About Disability Employment In Our State
10/6/2018	Celebrate, Strengthen a Disability Rights Law
6/19/2018	Celebrating a Milestone for Disability Rights
12/26/2017	2018: Hope for Parents of Disabled Children